Kati Debretzeni joins the York Early Music Festival Artistic Advisory Team

Kati Debretzeni, one of Europe's finest Baroque violinists, will join the team of Artistic Advisors to the York Early Music Festival from 2014 to 2017. She will work with John Bryan, Lindsay Kemp and Peter Seymour in planning the next three festivals, and replaces the internationally renowned lutenist Elizabeth Kenny.

In this year's York Early Music Festival (10 - 19 July) Kati leads the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in celebrating the anniversary of four of the most respected musicians of the18th century: CPE Bach and Nicolò Jomelli, a star of the Neapolitan opera scene, and two virtuoso violinists - Frenchman Jean-Marie Leclair and the Italian Pietro Locatelli, once dubbed the 'angel' and 'devil' of the violin respectively. Kati takes on these contrasting roles in their programme 'Of Births and Deaths, Angels and Devils' on Sunday 13 July at 6.30pm at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York.

Speaking about her new advisory role Kati said: "York Early Music Festival has established itself as one of the most important events in the early music calendar. It uniquely provides a platform for the very best artists in the field alongside an invitation to exciting young ensembles at the beginning of their career through its affiliated York Early Music International Young Artists Competition, which attracts the very best new talent worldwide. It is an honour to be asked to take part in this advisory role and I am thoroughly looking forward to collaborating with my distinguished fellow board members."

Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music added: "It is a huge pleasure to welcome Kati Debretzeni to the advisory team as we say thank you and farewell to Elizabeth Kenny. I am delighted that we will be able to share in Kati's wide experience of so many different approaches to music-making and superb musicianship. These qualities are absolutely invaluable to the creative process of planning one of the world's most extensive Early Music Festivals. We look forward to a very exciting partnership with Kati over the next three years."

The National Centre for Early Music is administered by the York Early Music Foundation and funded by Arts Council England, Yorkshire.

Ends

Press Contact:

Shona Galletly, on behalf of the National Centre for Early Music

e: shona@shonagalletlypr.co.uk

m: 07813 796 733

Web:www.ncem.co.uk

Notes to editors:

1. Born in Transylvania, Kati immigrated to Israel at the age of 15. She finished her studies with Ora Shiran, and pursued an interest in historical performance by studying the Baroque violin in London with Catherine Mackintosh and Walter Reiter. In 2000 she became one of the leaders of the English Baroque Soloists in J.E.Gardiner's Bach Cantata Pilgrimage, and her playing can be heard on many of the recently released live recordings on the SDG label. Since then she has been invited as guest leader by numerous groups, such as The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The King's Consort, The English Concert, the Seville Baroque Orchestra and the Balthazar Neumann Ensemble. She continues as a co-leader of the European Brandenburg Ensemble. Kati is an active chamber musician, and is a founding member of Ricordo, specialising in the "stylus phantasticus" of the 17th c. Their debut CD of the music of H. Biber was released to critical acclaim on the Linn label. Between 2001-2006 she was a member of Florilegium, performing world-wide and recording award-winning CDs for Chanel Classics. Her latest interests include directing from the violin and developing as an educator. She teaches at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, Netherlands, and in courses in Israel, Germany and the Czech Republic.

2. York Early Music Festival 10 - 19 July 2014, is Britain's largest festival of early music. This year's Festival Age of Gold, Age of Enlightenment explores a wealth of intermingled themes, taking audiences on a musical journey through the warmth and colour of Spanish medieval music from around the Mediterranean through to the Spanish Golden Age. In contrast to the glorious Catholic colour the Festival also celebrates the rich tradition of German Protestant music, epitomized by CPE Bach in the 300th anniversary year of his birth, alongside a host of other important anniversaries including Jomelli, Locatelli and Leclair. Guest artists include: Jordi Savall's Hespèrion XXI, The Sixteen directed by Harry Christophers, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Ensemble Gilles Binchois and Les Sacqueboutiers, Andrew Carwood's The Cardinall's Musick, The Zapico brothers from Spain and Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.